Aside the bad condition of the examination bay, availability of only one scanning machine at APM Terminal, Apapa Port contributes to delay in cargo clearance.
Making this assertion in an exclusive interview with People’s Forum Online, the Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Apapa chapter, Prince Eze Uchendu, stressed that given the capacity of Apapa Port, it should have up to five scanning machines.
The chairman opined that Apapa Port should be exiting 1000 containers per day but could not meet up with just one scanner.
In his words; “And again, the operation at APMT is also affected by the availability of only one scanning machine. That is really delaying the scanning process. Given the capacity of Apapa Port, I think we should have up to five scanning machines. Apapa is supposed to be exiting 1,000 containers per day.”
Uchendu noted that the delay arising from shortage of scanners leads to all the block-stacking and gridlock in the port.
He lamented that when all these delays occur, the clearing agent and his importer bear the brunt of it while APMT management benefits from it as the terminal opetator charges users of its facilities per day which means more delay more money for the terminal operator.
The NAGAFF chieftain stated that even if APMT has no space to drop the container and drops it off its location, the terminal operator will still charge.
According to him, this is the reason APMT cannot complain to the government on the need to have more scanners.
He used his office as the Chairman, Apapa chapter of NAGAFF to plead to the government to increase the number of scanning machines in Apapa Port to at least three though he believes that for the port to operate at full capacity it should have five scanners.
On trade facilitation, Uchendu posited that it is the general responsibility of both the Customs and the importers.
He lauded Customs for recently launching an initiative codenamed FT-2.0 meaning Fast-Track 2.0, which is a process that allows importers to take delivery of their consignment within 24 hours provided they make true declaration for the purpose of Customs clearance.
He declared that trade facilitation has to originate from the side of the Nigerian importers by making true declaration.
“So, for me, you clear your consignment based on how you the consignee has facilitated the genuineness of your documentation, how you the consignee has facilitated your importation by not bringing in contraband goods into the country. So, it is a general responsibility. I don’t want to shift that on anybody and I don’t want to make much comments on it. You see, the war against corruption is a general war, so it is not restricted to this side or the other side,” he remarked.
On Customs modernization project, though the chairman insisted that he would not comment on the project because government has taken a decision on it and that his comment or opinion would no longer count.
However, he said as a Nigerian and not as Chairman, he saw the project as second slavery, second colonization and economic colonization.
